Review of Thinner (1996) by Cassandra M — 16 Jul 2009

When I saw the cover of the video jacket, I knew I was in for a cheesy but probably enjoyable flick. It is a watchable film, and follows the plot of the novel pretty well all told. The actors were adequate, but not noteworthy. Some people have commented on the fact that William Halleck does not seem like a likeable character, and this is true of the film, but the novel delves more into his relationship with his daughter, and gives us a far more rounded character who isn't just motivated by hatred and revenge; we see that this is a man who loves his daughter deeply, and is terrified by what is happening to him. All in all, forgetable but worth watching just to see King in a cameo as the pharmacist.

All the boys love mandy lane.

This film really distinguishes itself within the slasher genre. It's that rare occurrence of a horror film that doesn't feel like a horror film, just a story.

The characters are all carefully portrayed by a mostly unknown cast who were allowed to improvise much of their dialogue. The characters are all well defined and form a totally believable and generally likable group of friends, despite their human weaknesses.

It's nearly a surprise when people start being killed off because the film feels so real and doesn't bear any of the tired trademarks usually associated with the genre. The grainy film stock and hand-held camera-work also help to further differentiate this film which is essentially a cross between an Indie movie and a slasher film.

Very original treatment of some well worn themes. Great to see this type of story taken seriously for once. Just what the horror industry needs.